Illinois Pharmacy license requirements

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Does anybody know what are the requirements to get the license in Illinois? It has been discussed in prior posts but I am a bit confuse with the information that I got from the web site:

"An applicant who has graduated with a professional degree from a school of pharmacy located outside of the United States must do the following:(1) obtain a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) Certificate;(2) complete 1,200 hours of clinical training and experience, as defined by rule, in the United States or its territories; and(3) successfully complete the licensing requirements set forth in Section 6 of this Act, as well as those adopted by the Department by rule."

I saw that was only 400 hours internship, why this 1200 hours? Can anybody clarify that?

Hello,
I asked Illinois board of pharmacy about the intern license and the 1,200 hours and that was the response:Illinois does not issue a Pharmacist Intern license. The only ones allowed to work in a pharmacy are Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians licensed by the Department.If you wish to apply for a pharmacist license to have your credentials reviewed you will need to submit an application for pharmacist on the basis of examination. You will need to submit with the application proof of education, a copy of your ECE certificate and a copy of the FPGEC with the application.

The 1,200 hours must be approved by the Board prior to commencement if the applicant is not previously licensed in another state.

Applicants upon approval of their application receive sample courses and must obtain the location on their own as the Department does not recommend anything nor maintain a listing of possible sites.

Hey guys,
I came to know that now ilinois boards of pharmacy will allow foreign graduates to worak as pharmacist in IL. Is it so? I mean that 5 years graduate program requirement is now no more effective. Actually, I searched on their website but there they keep the same old requirement. Does anybody has any idea regarding the latest news?

"You will need to complete the Pharmacist licensure application on the
basis of Examination. You will need to submit proof of graduation from your pharmacy school. Upon review you will be given examples of course that has been approved by the Department in the past to use as a guide. Then you must find a pharmacist/pharmacy that will allow to complete the 1,200 hours within the facility and will verify that you completed it a satisfactory manner. This all must be submitted to the Department prior to beginning the course as no credit will be given until the course is approved by the Department.

Upon completion of the course and receipt of a copy of your FPGEC you
will receive permission to take the NAPLEX and MJPE but not before."

I think that the 5 years graduate program is still required, but I am not sure.

Hello people,
I also called the IDFPR just now to inquire as to what steps need to be taken in order to do internship in Illinois. Since these guidelines are new and complicated (so I believe), and somebody reads them from somewhere I feel the Board people are themselves a little confused.

Anyways, this is the exact information what I have from the IDFPR:

1. YES, they have changed rules recently. NO, they don't need the 5 year degree thing.

2. First thing is to send the 4 page pharmacist application along with your FPGEC and ECE certificate. (Since I took FPGEE in '05, I didn't go through ECE, the confusing thing was that IDFPR guy said that I should get ECE certificate through NABP). Mariagpl is right they said they will send samples of clinical course thet you need to complete with a pharmacist after the appproval of your application.

3. Second step which you should take simultaneously along with pharmacist application is to send an application for the pharmacy tech (to complete the 1200 work hours) because the board doesn't issue a separate intern license.

4. Finally you need to get an approval from IDFPR on completion of the 1200 work hours to take the NAPLEX and MPJE.

Hmm.... a little complicated but if somebody learns something different or new about licensing in IL, please shed some light. Kindly share the complete information.

Thanks for the information. I got following reply from board of IL.The FPGEC is not a license to practice pharmacy in Illinois . You will need to complete an application for licensure on the basis of the Examination and submit the completed application, fee, copy of ECE evaluation and copy of the FPGEC certificate. Your application will be reviewed and if found to be in compliance with the Illinois Act you will be sent a copy of a clinical course of instruction to use as guide when submitting your 1,200 course for approval by the Department.

Now i don't understand what they are telling regarding application. They are writing that You will need to complete an application for licensure on the basis of the Examination . I don't know about which exam they are talking about? In the application form (on site) also they are writing about licensure exam. Does anybody has idea which kind of exam is this?

Originally Posted by pharmph

Hello people,
I also called the IDFPR just now to inquire as to what steps need to be taken in order to do internship in Illinois. Since these guidelines are new and complicated (so I believe), and somebody reads them from somewhere I feel the Board people are themselves a little confused.

Anyways, this is the exact information what I have from the IDFPR:

1. YES, they have changed rules recently. NO, they don't need the 5 year degree thing.

2. First thing is to send the 4 page pharmacist application along with your FPGEC and ECE certificate. (Since I took FPGE in '05, I didnt go through ECE, the confusing thing was that IDFPR guy said that I should get ECE certificate through NABP). Mariagpl is right they said they will send samples of clinical course thet you need to complete with a pharmacist after the appproval of your application.

3. Second step which you should take simultaneously along with pharmacist application is to send an application for the pharmacy tech (to complete the 1200 work hours) because the board doesn't issue a separate intern license.

4. Finally you need to get an approval from IDFPR on completion of the 1200 work hours to take the NAPLEX and MPJE.

Hmm.... a little complicated but if somebody learns something different or new about licensing in IL, please shed some light. Kindly share the complete information.

Now I think, I am getting it. You will need to complete an application for licensure on the basis of the Examination -- means that, I need to file application for licensure and/or Examination (4 page form) which is pharmacist license as well as for NAPLEX and MPJE. So with that form I need to give fee fo NPLEX and MPJE (80+465 and 80+185 = total $810), ECE evaluation report, FPGEC certificate (to get that -should clear FPGEE and Toefl iBT). Once they approve your application, they will send clinical course guideline and you need to take training of 1200 hours under supervision of pharmacist. After completion of your training they will give you permission (ATT) to sit for NPLEX and MPGE. You have to complete those two exams with in 365 days after getting ATT. If you don't take with in a year then again you have to apply with new fees.

Now the issue is they don't issue intern lisence. So you need to do your internship on basis of phamr technician license. But now another issue is without SSN, they don't issue technician license and also in application form for pharmacist they are asking about social security number. What if I am on H4 (dependent ) visa and don't have SSN? can anybody has idea?

PTS I am not sure about the SSN part, you would I guess need an H-1B (sponsored by the hiring pharmacy) to be able to work. About the pharmacist licensure application you dont have to send the money for NAPLEX and MPJEE with initial application, you need to send only $75 along with supporting documents. Also even after getting the pharm tech licence you have to wait for the board to approve your initial pharmacist licensure application in order to be able to complete your work hours. Without the board approval you would be using tech license only as a tech and not as an intern.

Are you sure that we have to do the course under the thec licencence? What I understood was that you have to do a course, not work in the pharmacy (of course if you don't get paid), and for that it is suppose you can do the course with a student visa or H4. Am I right? I ask the board about it but they said I should ask in inmigration.

Besides, must be much easier to find a H1B sponsor once you are Registered Pharmacist. Anybody has experience about that?

Hello people,
I also called the IDFPR just now to inquire as to what steps need to be taken in order to do internship in Illinois. Since these guidelines are new and complicated (so I believe), and somebody reads them from somewhere I feel the Board people are themselves a little confused.

Anyways, this is the exact information what I have from the IDFPR:

1. YES, they have changed rules recently. NO, they don't need the 5 year degree thing.

2. First thing is to send the 4 page pharmacist application along with your FPGEC and ECE certificate. (Since I took FPGEE in '05, I didn't go through ECE, the confusing thing was that IDFPR guy said that I should get ECE certificate through NABP). Mariagpl is right they said they will send samples of clinical course thet you need to complete with a pharmacist after the appproval of your application.

3. Second step which you should take simultaneously along with pharmacist application is to send an application for the pharmacy tech (to complete the 1200 work hours) because the board doesn't issue a separate intern license.

4. Finally you need to get an approval from IDFPR on completion of the 1200 work hours to take the NAPLEX and MPJE.

Hmm.... a little complicated but if somebody learns something different or new about licensing in IL, please shed some light. Kindly share the complete information.

Hi, pharmph,

"Hi, I am in a very akward situation because I took prepharmacy related
courses for more than a year before my entry to BPharm. The Bpharm I am
taking now consists of four years with an internship after graduation.
This internship is a requirement for licensure, however, the NABP does
not accept it. So the only hope I have is this prepharmacy related
courses to be satisfied within the US pharm board's requirement. What worries
me is that whether the COUNTRY itself has to be offering 5 years
itself.

How can you become licensed in that state with just an internship of
1200 hours?"
Do any other states in US looking forward to do that as well?